“What makes happiness?”

The boy queried his dad.

“What is the recipe

to be happy not sad?”

“The internal feeling that happiness brings

is hard to define with mere words.

It's better defined through happening things

that affect us and strike happy chords.”

“I still don’t get it.”

the boy pondered aloud.

“What sort of things

remove this dark cloud?”

“A warm family bond that brings feelings of love,

special people who always make us smile,

wine by a fire mentally wrapped in a glove,

perusing fond memories all the while."

"Dreams of a day when there's no longer crime

and everyone has enough food.

Words of old friends that echo through time

to soothe us inside and comfort our mood."

"Children playing as we smilingly gaze

and enjoy their zest for life and laugh

Give us on those worst of days

a smile and reason to stay on our path."

"Waking to birds filled with melodious song,

feeling the sun on our face,

happy to begin our day no matter how long

or where we place in the race.”

“Thank you kind dad I’m beginning to see

how to be happy, excited and free.”

“But how can I know how to manage my pace

to ensure a victory in this happiness race?”

"It’s not a race with only one prize

nor one we run again and again.

It's a race that excites and gives us surprise.

It's a race that everyone can win."

"So son, start every day smiling mentally clean

knowing all the while you can win

this race that keeps us happy and lean

day after day and again and again."

"Thank you great father your love has shown me

how to press forward happy and free.

For the prize is open to all in life’s race

Not just one victor and not just first place.”